August, Not Pinocchio 2
by DarthRushy
Summary: Returning to Storybrooke, August is determined to fix his relationship with Emma. Before he can attempt anything however, the Evil Queen destroys the town, leaving the citizens stranded in different realms. Whilst continuing to resist his dark destiny, August has to find Emma and Henry... at all costs. AU Season 3. (Not necessary to read previous story) MY KINGDOM FOR A REVIEW!
1. Break-in at Gold's

**Previously on August, Not Pinocchio**  
_Recently, two invaders from the outside world had infiltrated Storybrooke and nearly destroyed it. August, who had become human again thanks to a True Love's kiss from Emma, was being manipulated by a bitter human from the future to become the Dark One._  
_In the epic showdown, Gold gives Tamara magical abilities to torture her psyche(as part of his ego where magic comes in), however she gains control of magic unusually fast and wreaks havoc in Storybrooke whilst August and Captain Hook race towards the Dagger of the Dark One._  
_Hook is defeated and August attempts to kill Gold, but is overwhelmed with memories of being the Dark One in the future, a direct result of future-August drinking True Love's Potion to save himself._  
_Now stuck with memories of murdering Emma, August pretends to leave town only to return asking for a favor from Neal..._

* * *

"I want you to go back to your apartment in Manhattan. There's something there, something that I desperately need."  
August crouched closer to Neal's face: "In exchange, I promise to leave and never, ever come back."  
Neal nodded sluggishly and August helped him up.  
"What do you need?" asked Neal. "A magic potion. Tamara hid it in your apartment."  
"Right."  
"And don't tell Emma. This is between us." said August.  
"Well, why don't you go get it yourself, last time I checked you weren't cursed." wondered Neal. "I'm made of wood. If I were to leave town, its magic would not work and I would be paralyzed."  
"I see." said Neal skeptically.  
"Please. I know I screwed up big time, but please. Do this one thing and I'll never bother you or anyone again. Deal?"  
Neal sighed: "Deal."

* * *

After Neal had gone on his merry way, August disappeared, hoping that no one noticed a sneaky guy wearing a hoodie.  
He returned to his campsite where he kept the not-so-magical hat and the Fairy Godmother's Wand. He'd gotten both from Tom when he was captured.  
_This isn't such a good idea, August._ whispered the Dark One.  
"I know, but we've run out of options."  
_Not entirely. There's something else, something you don't know about.  
_"What?"  
_A magical object, hidden inside Gold's pawn shop. If you get ahold of it, you'll be able to get three wishes.  
_August suppressed a laugh. "Three wishes? That's the best you come up with?"  
_Don't laugh. Wishing is a powerful kind of magic and like all magic, it too comes with a price, but I think you'd be willing to pay it.  
_"What about yourself?" asked August. "You're not even real. The real Dark One is still Rumplestiltskin, which makes you... a voice in my head."  
_I think, therefore I am.  
_"What is that object you talked about?"  
_Aladdin's Lamp. Should be easy to recognize.  
_"Why doesn't Gold use it?"  
_It is currently drained of its power and Gold has no idea how to restore it.  
_"Why doesn't the real you just tell him how?"  
_Because I'm a voice in YOUR head._

* * *

Neal suppressed the urge to tell Emma the truth right away. It was obvious that August slash Pinocchio was up to something and that always meant disaster for them. But ultimately, Neal's care for Emma overrided his need as he didn't want to re-open her wounds. Besides, he had no idea where August was now anyway.  
After several long hours of riding his car, Neal arrived back in Boston and boarded the plane to where he needed to go.  
_What would Pinocchio want with a magic potion?_ wondered Neal.

* * *

As night befall in Storybrooke, mr. Gold and the recently restored Belle shut off the lights to the pawn shop and closed the doors. They were both tired and eager to return home. Around 10 minutes after they were gone, a wooden stick(shaped like a fist and wearing a glove) breaks open the glass and shuts off the alarm before it can start.  
August quietly opens the door and sneaks in very quietly, hoping the floor isn't creaky. He looks around patiently, looking for the lamp that the Dark One described to him and finally finding it inside a glass case.  
It was at times like these that August was thankful for his wooden nature. Those moments were few though. After breaking the glass, August gently takes the Lamp out of the case and takes a look at it, noting the three red stones on it.  
"Hello, Pinocchio."  
In a combination of utter shock and surprise, August drops the Lamp and falls over himself. He looks up to see mr. Gold standing over him, his cane between his legs like usual. In the dark, he was even more intimidating, with shadows over his eyes and his silky voice that August was beginning to suspect was the same one that told Adam and Eve to eat apples.  
"What would you doing here in my shop on this pretty night?"he asked. August grunted and tried to pick up the Lamp, but Gold moved his finger and the Lamp disappeared in a plume of purple smoke.  
"Give it back!" demanded August.  
"It's not yours to take, dearie. And in case you haven't noticed... it's useless."  
Gold limped into August's personal space.  
"Or is it?" he grinned.  
_You knew that Gold would know, didn't you Dark One?  
What did you expect? Truth and honesty?_  
"Maybe." said August enigmatically.  
Gold limped away from him. "Well, considering your emotional turmoil, I shan't charge you for the door. Or the break-in. Or the theft."  
"How gracious of you."  
"I will inform the sheriff, though, of course." he said in an unchanging tone.  
_No!  
_"Wait!" August took the Fairy Godmother's Wand out of his pocket and pointed it towards Gold.  
"I know this Wand is powerful enough to paralyse you temporarily. And you wouldn't want that, would you? Now hand me the Lamp."  
Gold's grin did not vanish. "You think you're powerful enough to use that?"  
August's confidence faltered, but he gathered concentration and waved the Wand, focusing on paralysis. Nothing happened.  
Gold impatiently limped over and pulled the Wand out of his hands(just like he'd pulled the Dagger). "Now if you'd be so very kind as to leave this shop...?"  
August glared at him.


	2. Storybrooke Falls

Neal did not find it easy to return to the place he'd called home for years. He felt as if the whole experience in Storybrooke had been a dream. A lousy one at that.  
_Alright, so where is that potion?  
_He started to look around the apartment, ignoring the memories that came back. He soon found the bottle underneath his bed and put in his pocket.  
Neal went down the stairs and remembered that the last time he was there, Hook had attacked his father.  
Suddenly, a bag went over his head and someone roughly took the vial out of his pocket! Neal tried to resist, but he was knocked out cold.

* * *

Neal had now been gone for a whole week. August had been expecting a call from him. A call that wasn't coming.  
_What's taking him so long?!_  
He decided to go talk to Gold again. If anyone cared about Neal, it was him.

August found Gold in his shop as usual. He was currently wrapped in an emotional hug with Belle.  
"Sorry to interrupt your little scene." said August, causing the two to fly out of each other's arms.  
"Mr. Booth, your timing could not be better." retorted Gold sarcastically. Belle looked at August in confusion.  
"So... you're Pinocchio?" she asked.  
"The boy of lies himself." he replied. Belle sent him a compassionate look as Gold ushered her to another room.  
"So... mr. Booth, what can I do for you now? Any lamps you want to take with you?"  
"Baelfire's missing."  
Gold's humorous expression melted instantly and old lines of worry creased his way. He waited for August to continue.  
"I sent him to get a magic potion for me, something that could make me human again, it was in his apartment in Manhattan. But he hasn't called me."  
"You sent him to get a magic potion? And he agreed?"  
"Well, it took a little persuasion."  
"How little?" demanded Gold.  
"A taser, maybe two... give or take?"  
He regretted what he said instantly as Gold sent a small flash of fire from his hands that caused August to reel in the pain that the burn gave him.

* * *

"RUMPLE!" Belle's voice was enough to stop Gold once more. Belle helped August get up.  
"Thank you." muttered the wooden man and rubbed his right temple. "Look, Gold, you and I both know the danger that is out there. And yeah, I sent Neal there. That's that. I need us to work together on this."  
Gold sent him a look of disgust: "I don't need your help, Booth. Now please leave. You're no longer welcome here."  
August left the shop, disappointed.

* * *

Suddenly, the entire ground shuddered!  
August collapsed to the ground and saw trees and vines sprouting out from everywhere!  
_The fail-safe! The Queen activated it!_  
He looked back and saw through the shop window that Gold had reached the same conclusion and was talking really fast with Belle. August got up and ran for his camp. He had to protect the magical artifacts he'd gathered for the plan.

The destruction of Storybrooke was imminent.

* * *

Regina had placed a magical barrier preventing anyone from entering the caves. Emma was working on breaking it, but it was taking precious time that they did not have. Charming had gone away to the field to get the beans whilst Snow was preparing everyone for transport to the Enchanted Forest. The group had tried to get Gold to help, but the Dark One and Belle had disappeared entirely leaving it up to them to fix whatever was happening.  
As they were babbling real fast, they were interrupted by someone they did not expect.  
"Maybe I can help?"  
It was Captain Hook.  
_Oh, this is my final straw!  
_Losing all patience, Emma punched the man right in the face. They didn't have time for crap like Hook!  
"STOP! I can help!"  
Emma snorted: "We don't have time for you. We have to get these people out of here!"  
"And I have a ship."  
Snow glanced at Emma. "Emma, he has a point. Storybrooke will be destroyed within minutes. And we have a potion to cure the lost memories!"  
Emma grabbed Hook by his throat. "Why?! Why would you help us, after all you've done?!"  
"Sim-ple. I want to live, pretty miss."  
Emma let Hook go and nodded at Snow who dragged Hook towards the crowd of confused Storybrooke citizens and yelled at them to follow her.

* * *

August ran back towards his campsite. Backwards, he thought he heard Snow yell something, but he didn't really care.  
_I have to get the hat. The hat is everything. _  
It was fortunate that the area surrounding the campsite was already in the woods and thus largely unaffected by the massive chaos in Storybrooke. He found the hat, perfectly intact and having nowhere else to put it, he placed it on his head and started to run back.  
_This would make a great story if I had time to write it!  
_Pinocchio had trouble navigating the rubble and debris in Storybrooke, but he managed. There was barely anyone still there, but August was just looking for Emma.  
And he finally saw her, running with his father and a small bag.  
Their eyes locked.

* * *

Knowing that it would take Charming too long to get the beans back to the ship, Emma(not telling Snow) had gone after him whilst avoiding the flying vines that threatened to rip the whole place apart. He finally found his car toppled over.  
"DAD!" she yelled involuntarily and busted the door open. "Dad!" she said again and helped Charming out, grabbing the beans. Charming woke up to his daughter's touch and regained his strength.  
Suddenly, he noticed that Emma had stopped and looked behind him to see what had shocked her so.  
It was a BARRIER of nature. Woods, vines, grass, plants, you name it. It was reminescent of when the Curse broke, but far more threatening.  
"RUN!"  
And so they ran. Emma held to the bag with her life as she jumped around the obstacles until a hat entered her view.  
_Jefferson?_  
It took one look at the man's face for her to realize it was not Jefferson.


	3. Lost

Before Emma had time to react to August's presence, the wooden man was pulled by one of the vines. In despair, August tossed the hat towards Emma and just as Emma caught it, she heard a sickening crack and loud screaming. The vines had broken off August's arm and the puppet fell down into the mess that was Storybrooke. He was unconscious.  
"Give me a hand!" yelled Emma, but Charming grabbed the beans. "WE HAVE TO GO, NOW!"  
"I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!"  
Charming muttered something and tossed a bean at her. Emma tried to back away, but she was surrounded by rubble. The green portal opened and she fell.

* * *

Emma opened her eyes to see treetops.  
_Let me guess, I just crashed onto the Island._  
In a matter of seconds, Emma realized she was holding something. With some effort, she raised her arm and realized she was holding the hat the she herself had made for Jefferson.  
_August was wearing it..._  
That thought shook Emma awake right away and she got up. Looking around, she quickly realized she was back at the Enchanted Forest, just as her father had intended.  
Fuming with anger, she decided to stick around for the next portal that would probably have all the people from Storybrooke in it.  
_Why was August wearing it...?_

* * *

Regina grinned as she carried an unconscious Henry with her. She was ready to tell him a long tale of how Hook had destroyed Storybrooke as soon as he woke up.  
They were nearly at the well, when Regina stopped dead in her tracks.  
Mr. Gold was there.  
"Well, well, well. You weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye, now were you?" asked Gold.  
Regina scowled: "Get out of my way or I will make you regret it, Gold."  
"I'm sorry, dearie. I'm afraid I can't do that."  
Gold teleported Henry back to the Charmings.  
Regina hissed and pointed her hand at Gold, but nothing happened.  
"You should be grateful. Magic always comes with a price."  
Her face contorted into a mix of insanity and desperation: "Why?! Why won't you let me have my happy ending?!" she sobbed.  
"Because it's not happy. Not for you and certainly not for Henry. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bean to catch."  
Without further words, Gold limped into his nearby car and left Regina alone at the well. Facing the consequences of her own curse.

* * *

Gold nearly swore as his car flew through the air. Without further ado, he grabbed his phone and dialed Belle's number.  
"Belle?"  
Belle's voice sounded extremely worried: "Rumple! Where are you? Everyone else are gone!"  
"I'm trapped. Use the charm I... wait!"  
Finally swearing at his broken leg, Gold stumbled out of the car and crawled over to August's limp body that was lying on the rubble.. He grabbed August's remaining hand and saw the entire town crashing down around them thanks to _nature_.  
"NOW!"  
With a puff of magic, Gold and August disappeared at the last second and appeared at the docks.  
"A little help, dear?!" called Gold, irritated.  
Belle ran over to him and supported him whilst dragging the light-weighted puppet behind them. They got onto a fishing boat just in time as the dock dissolved into a mess.  
"Is everything on board?" asked Gold, gasping for air. Belle nodded.  
"Do it."  
The fishing boat's motor roared and Belle drove it away from the forest behind them. She then tossed the last magic bean into the sea and wished for the realm Gold told him about. A gigantic green maelstrom opened up and sucked in the ship.


	4. The Land Without Color

August Booth did not want to wake up. He did not want to face the world... again. What was the point, anyway? All that he really had left was himself and the voice in his head. That peculiar echo of the Dark One. And it was that echo that made him take off the unnecessary blanket, put on his clothes and start walking again. Because unlike August, the Dark One did want to face the world again. And August obeyed, because the Dark One was the only friend he had left. Anything was worth to get the Dark One's attention on him.

The wooden man left the mansion where he and the others lived and took a walk in the beautiful, but always monochromatic garden. For all the miracles that existed in this realm, the nonexisting color(except for him and his companions of course) was extremely dull. Even the Dark One complained on occasion.

As usual, August found himself drawn to the sea. Though the sea had nothing to do with where they came from, it still attracted him as it represented the unknown, the other realms.  
_Somewhere, out there... is Emma. _  
That thought did not comfort him. Or perhaps it did, but not the Dark One? It was so hard to tell these days.  
"Morning."  
Had August not been made of wood, he would've jumped at the sound. But it was only Belle.  
"Moping again, aren't you." she said. It was not a question.  
August turned his head back towards the sea.  
"I don't like this place." he said.  
"Neither do I. It's a hideous world. But Rumple finds it soothing. I think this place reminds him of himself."  
August snorted: "You can say that again."

* * *

Belle glanced at August sympathetically. She considered herself an expert at rehabilitation, but even she had to admit that Pinocchio was a hard case. The key about Rumplestiltskin was that he had committed all those hideous crimes _because he thought he was doing the right thing_.  
On the other hand, August had murdered his true love and voluntarily chosen darkness and power. It had been an alternate reality yes, but it was still a reality. From the moment they had arrived to the Land Without Color, Belle had taken the unofficial duty of being August's psychiatrist and he'd confessed to many horrible things, _but he was still holding back_. And considering that Emma's murder was one of the things he had voluntarily told her, that secret had to be god awful. As such, Belle was planning a different strategy.  
"August?"  
"Hmm?"  
"Do you wanna go on a small... trip?"  
August turned his wooden head, curious. "A trip? Where?"  
"An island. I want to show you something."  
August nodded, not really listening anymore.

* * *

"Do you recognize this place?" asked Belle expectantly. August looked around the monochromatic beach for a while, trying to stir some memories, but nothing came.  
"I think so, but I can't remember where..."  
Belle intervened: "It's the island where the Lord of the Flies took place."  
_Now _Pinocchio remembered. It used to be one of his childhood favourites and was largely the source of his moral compass when he was lost in Thailand pleasures.  
"Why did you bring me here." he asked.  
"I wanted to remind you that what happened here... the reason why it happened to you... was humanity. I don't think that it was fair that you had to be selfless, brave and true when no one, not even the Fairy is truly any of these things."  
August shook his head sadly. "I killed Emma. I did it."  
"No. The dagger did it."  
_We need to go, August._ whispered the Dark One, sensing a threat. _Rumplestiltskin has an idea._ _Trust me, I know._  
But August resisted.


	5. Cheshire

Just as Emma had expected, a green vortex soon appeared over her head and countless of disoriented Storybrooke citizens began falling through. Emma was only looking for one and she quickly found David trying to help Snow.

Without further ado, she punched him in the face. "You son of a *****!" she shouted with a fury she had never felt before. Charming could not, or would not react as she punched him again. "You soulless b*****d!"  
"Mom!" called Henry, having a sickened expression on his face. Emma's fury transformed into guilt as soon as she realized what she'd done.

Charming was lying on the forest floor, bleeding as Henry looked on in disbelief of what Emma had done.  
"Kid, I-" started Emma, but Henry cut him off. "Stay away from me!"  
Henry ran away from Emma and disappeared into the crowd, who were all staring at the Charmings.  
Snow White decided to take the lead.

"People of Storybrooke, it seems that fate has led us to home at last. The Evil Queen chose our fate once again, but this time we are still ourselves. Do not panic, we are going to be alright. We've been through a lot, I know and I will not lie when I say we will be through many more things to come, but if we work together, we will make it."

The people grumbled approvingly.  
"Now let us build a camp right here, right now! Gather firewood, make tents, let us feel... at home."

* * *

**1 YEAR LATER**

1 year. It had been 1 whole year since the destruction of Storybrooke. Apparently time didn't heal all wounds, since Emma was once again lying on her workdesk, seemingly sleepy, but actually completely awake. Her thoughts raced at the speed of light and she thought of that same dark day when Storybrooke fell... along with August Booth.

In that time, she'd come up with hundreds of theories as to why August had reappeared to town that day or why he had the hat with him. Problem was, they were just theories. Without Rumplestiltskin or Regina or Jefferson or Belle or Neal to tell her the truth as usual, she had no way of confirming anything. And all of those people happened to be gone.

Soon after their arrival to the Enchanted Forest, Charming had used one of the magic beans to go back to the Land Without Magic to search for the missing people, but found nothing but empty woods. He'd even gone to Manhattan, but Neal Cassidy had apparently vanished without any explanation. Another thing to theorize about. But the utter, unavoidable truth was that _she did not know_. She had no clue as to what happened. And she hated it.

Her bitterness came from several sources. There was of course August, who like always, screwed everything up. There was Henry, who still refused to spend time with Emma. There was Charming, who'd _killed_ August. And hell, there was even Neal, who was the number one reason why Emma had such a crappy life anyway.  
Yep. Not the best life ever. But despite that, Emma refused to just give into the despair like Regina had. Somehow, someway, she continued on living. Like she always had. Because she had no other life to choose.

* * *

Emma got up from the desk and sat down on her bed with the hat in her hands. She examined the hat closely like she had done many times before, hoping for a clue or at least something. She even tried to roll it like Jefferson, yet the hat remained perfectly normal.  
Even in this magical world, Emma's first contact with magic remained unmagical.

"You know, you could try dipping it in water."  
Emma jumped to her feet to see a mouse, grinning on her window.  
"Who... are you?!" she asked, shocked.  
The mouse's grin did not disappear as it spoke.  
"The Cheshire... well, mouse. It's a tad bit complicated."  
"Wh-what are you doing so far from Wonderland?" she asked, bewildered.  
"Looking for you of course. Realm-jumping is more in the Hatter's league, but I think I did a good enough job." replied the talking mouse.  
"What do you want?"  
"To reunite you with your lost love, silly. You see, Pinocchio helped me a long time ago and I always pay my debts."


End file.
